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Matthew Perry received an emotional tribute during the in memoriam at Monday's 75th Annual Emmy Awards (January 15th). After the show, fans were disappointed that Perry's costars from Friends weren't in attendance but it turns out they didn't receive an invitation to the awards ceremony.
According to an executive producer of the show, Jeannae Rouzan-Clay, Perry's unexpected passing is "still very fresh for them." In an interview with the Hollywood Reporter, another EP Jesse Collins revealed that they had "talked about" inviting the cast from the beloved 90s sitcom which includes Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, David Schwimmer, but ultimately decided against it.
“I can imagine, from their side, they’re mourning someone who was still very close to them," Collins said. "I can’t speak for them, but we all have to respect that they were their own family. It was probably just a little too soon.”
The producer also added that another reason for not inviting the cast of Friends was to make sure they didn't play favorites among stars who passed this year. “Yes, Norman Lear and Matthew Perry, you have to give some special attention to, but you don’t want anyone to feel slighted,” he said. “Everybody’s contribution was significant, and this is their moment inside this package.”
Perry was one of the final stars honored in the in-memoriam montage that played on screen while Charlie Puth sang "See You Again" and the Friends theme song "I'll Be There For You." He died on October 28th, 2023 at the age of 54.